Sawaal (City)
This page is about the city of Sawaal. For the Sultanate of the same name, please see Sawaal (Sultanate). Sawaal, capital of the Sultanate of the same name, is the Kaspari Empire's main port and most important city culturally. While the Caliph rules from Qadat, and the government is centered there, Sawaal is an immense city in its own right and a strong rivalry exists between the two great cities. Known far and wide for its beautiful architecture, this city is often called "Sawaal the Golden". Its domes and minarets are clad in gold, tile, and inlaid glass, all reflecting the sun. As dawn breaks, the city seems to glow. In the midday heat, it shimmers. And as the sun sinks toward the horizon, the light blazes above Jerez Bay and seems to set the city aflame. Through centuries, the craftsmen and artisans of the Kaspari Empire have made the Sawaal their showcase. Their painted tiles, intricate mosaics, gilded surfaces, and intricately carved plaster and stone are a tribute to an enlightened civilization and to the wonders of Sawaal itself. The people of Sawaal are by nature as tolerant as they are diverse. Ethnic and religious differences do not present a problem. Even far-removed faiths are treated with more amusement than fear. Every style of fashion around the world can be found on the city's bustling streets. Every type of product made in the enlightened world can be found here, too - along with a vast array from the lands beyond. The populace of Sawaal are confident in their good fortune. Sites in Sawaal A walking tour of this great city should include the following sites: * Sartain Palace: Built and remodeled over the course of 500 years, this sprawling palace has become a maze of rooms, courts, and passageways. As the power of the Sultan expanded, so too did the palace. Old buildings and halls were torn down to provide space for new ones. The palace has maintained its present form for the past three generations. * Sawaal Public Gardens: This wondrous expanse of greenery borders the eastern edge of the Sartain Palace palace. The gardens are filled with row upon tailored row of roses, hibiscus, and other flowers, as well as great orchards of pears and figs. Technically, the gardens lie upon the Sultan's private land. But according to a long tradition, they remain open to civilized men and women throughout the year, and are closed only when the Sultan himself chooses to wander the grounds for meditation (about once a week). The greatest wonder of the Public Gardens is the Floating Fountain. The fountain's base is an enormous reflecting pool installed centuries ago. Recently, the noted architect Awishan Balu enhanced the pool. He created golden bowls which float through the air above the reflecting pool on precisely-calibrated pneumatic jets, dancing a slow, graceful ballet. The bowls spout jets of clear, sparkling water, which arch into the air before spilling into the pool below. In times of celebration, the fountains can be made to spray colored water instead - and sometimes even fire, steam, or rainbow-colored sand. * The Grand Bazaar: This huge, open-air court is one of the Kaspari Empire's busiest markets, for Sawaal lies at the crossroads of all major trade routes. Exotic foods, silks, treasures, curios, entertainers, letter-writers, mystics, barbers, individuals looking for employment - all can be found in the bustling court until curfew. After nightfall, gaslight lamps provide illumination. Licensed torchbearers appear, offering to escort members of the evening crowd to their sleeping quarters (for a fee). Sawaal lacks an official slave market, but unscrupulous characters are willing to procure that which is desired, as long as the correct price is paid. Category:Large Cities Category:Settlements Category:Settlements in the Kaspari Empire Category:Locations Category:Locations in Sawaal Category:Locations in the Kaspari Empire